tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post4111210594286985568..comments2024-03-29T11:22:50.361+00:00Comments on SCOT goes POP!: Why it's important to have an overall SNP majority, and not just a pro-independence majorityJames Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516007141763230886noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-68241679360927825452016-02-05T09:40:03.503+00:002016-02-05T09:40:03.503+00:00How will we know if they are "unconvertible&q...How will we know if they are "unconvertible" if we don't try? And is it such a bad thing that their commitment to Yes will be conditional or in your words "dubious"? Trying to convince a majority to go for something new will obviously mean some will go wholeheartedly and some will have misgivings but decide to take the risk. <br /><br />You are viewing this from one end of the spectrum, where in my opinion most Greens also are, but try to think of it from the point of view of people somewhere in the middle. Without these people on board we will never get independence. To get them on board, a plurality of Yes voices is more convincing than a monolithic wall of SNP which can be made by a hostile press to look menacing.<br />topherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15534401130755572381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-28045726662275157932016-02-05T09:37:29.834+00:002016-02-05T09:37:29.834+00:00List votes really should have some form of STV com... List votes really should have some form of STV component. Even if it's as simple as an individual choice followed by a party. That'd allow you to vote for an independent with a fall back to a party preference. It'd also wean out party favourites the electorate don't back.Iain McCordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04114399330514686626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-28586078353232934112016-02-04T17:04:35.105+00:002016-02-04T17:04:35.105+00:00Its obvious from the nature of your comments what ...Its obvious from the nature of your comments what your frame of reference is. In Scotland you are the anti politics protest vote. Those who ignore the mainstream propaganda to search and share on the internet links to original sources are those who are Yes. Those who are no are either self serving as you appear to be or uninformed because they still don't realise they are told what to believe. You can teach people how to find the truth but people with no humanity are beyond reach. Your definition of socialism in another comment sounds more like free market capitalism. The feckless and lazy being rewarded from the hard work of others. If a lot of people don't have jobs it took years of systematic deliberate destruction of viable businesses to achieve that level of social engineering. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-33303345584452172222016-02-04T16:34:11.609+00:002016-02-04T16:34:11.609+00:00So people who may well be unconvertible unionists ...So people who may well be unconvertible unionists but don't identify as such yet, would be more likely to become yes if parties that have little history of supporting yes prosper ? Their commitment to yes would be as dubious as said parties. If you will the end you have to will the means to achieve it. Any YES vote that doesn't go to the Yes party is viewed as a weaker vote. A green vote would be viewed as environmental more than anything else.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-17665609598777399632016-02-04T16:05:10.945+00:002016-02-04T16:05:10.945+00:00Interesting James but I'm not sure what your p...Interesting James but I'm not sure what your point is. Within living memory, most of Scotland was conservative. In 1955, the tories certainly weren't pro Scottish independence so the people must have been lacking in patriotism then? But of course not - this was the generation that fought the war. <br /><br />My point is that your comments regarding the SNP and its allies having a monopoly on patriotism are somewhat wide of the mark. I think Domhnall is correct - the conservatives and the entire field of British politics have shifted right since 1955, while Scotland never really got over the ending of the post war consensus. Patriotism is nothing to do with it. Economics is everything to do with it. <br /><br />It's a good job then that our new powers allow us to shape our economy like never before - setting tax and welfare to our own taste as well as intervening to nationalise certain institutions we collectively decide would perform better as part of the public sector. It's a path I don't agree with, but I'm willing to accept the majority will. <br /><br />AldoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-36310808962161734982016-02-04T13:29:14.196+00:002016-02-04T13:29:14.196+00:00Seems no downside to doing so. It gives some exper...Seems no downside to doing so. It gives some experience of the system to younger candidates, raises their profile slightly and gets them campaigning.<br /><br />And if the worst comes to it, you have people on the list ready to step in.<br /><br />I don't see any reason why not, unless it's expensive or some of the candidates are particularly toxic or divisive.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-17445832643789929232016-02-04T12:22:41.509+00:002016-02-04T12:22:41.509+00:00Seems we have a new TNS poll. No change within MoE...Seems we have a new TNS poll. No change within MoE on the last one.<br /><br />Alan Roden<br />@AlanRoden<br />TNS Holyrood constituency voting intentions: SNP 57%, Lab 21%, Con 17%, LD 3%, Other 2%.Scottish_Skiernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-38987399896764964462016-02-04T10:22:37.670+00:002016-02-04T10:22:37.670+00:00To reply to the main point in your article James, ...To reply to the main point in your article James, the reason why it's important to have as many pro-independence MSP's as possible is that we need to get to the point where independence is the obvious destination and we are looking at the shape of post-independence politics. The voters we need to make this happen are not the die hard No's who will not be persuaded, nor the die-hard Yesses who are already persuaded. <br /><br />We need the ones in the middle who are persuadable if they see the beginnings of a multi party consensus that independence is a reasonable idea and there is a range of tenable policies for an independent Scotland from which they could choose. <br /><br />In this group I think there are many who would like the SNP to be joined by other voices. The confirmed Yessers (of whom I am one) may fear the dilution of the unanimous "vote SNP twice" idea but you have to look at the electoral choices from the viewpoint of those still open to changing their minds.<br /><br />I agree with you that a centre right party of independence would get some of the current Tory votes, and some of the Fergus Ewing wing SNP votes too. I disagree with their politics but a democracy needs voices for all the shades of opinion. At one point the Scottish Democratic Alliance (Google it) was looking to position itself here but I don't see it putting up candidates. <br /><br />Anyway we Greens are not going away until the revolution is safely won, or after. The climate has not stopped melting down while we Scots settle our constitutional differences, cheap oil and Cameron's axe are destroying our renewables industry, and bizarre slash and burn market economics are making the rich richer and the poor more miserable. Independence is the way forward and we will be there to help make it happen.topherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15534401130755572381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-85702057060398402772016-02-04T10:21:56.078+00:002016-02-04T10:21:56.078+00:00The bottom line is,the Tories are led by an old Et...The bottom line is,the Tories are led by an old Etonian Bullingdon boy.Theres not that many people,in Scotland who will vote for that sort of thing.They mostly died out a while ago.Ruth is just a bit player.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-50430904373909011582016-02-04T09:07:03.625+00:002016-02-04T09:07:03.625+00:00Back in those days the centre right were in favour...Back in those days the centre right were in favour of the state doing things like providing housing, Healthcare etc since then the neo liberals have moved things further to the right to such an extent that a 1950s tory would today be regarded as a lefty radical. There's no reason a centre right party of the traditional 1950s tory variety couldn't be pro indy. Other independent countries aren't dominated by the left, why would Scotland be any different? Domhnallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08357849743628481967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-32937430152647872712016-02-04T00:41:31.867+00:002016-02-04T00:41:31.867+00:00Yes, that's true as well. But in the case of ...Yes, that's true as well. But in the case of the Greens, who aren't going to win more than two seats in any region, I can't think of any reason why they would put forward lists of up to ten candidates per region unless they had an eye to sudden vacancies during the parliament.James Kellynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-25391176770863332612016-02-04T00:32:22.803+00:002016-02-04T00:32:22.803+00:00Not all FPTP candidates are on the list. There is ...Not all FPTP candidates are on the list. There is some debate about whether someone should be on both. Labour lost any talent they had because they assumed they were winning fptp seats last time and did not stand on the lists. There is an argument that if the voters wish to remove an MSP then its a bit arrogant to tell them they were getting said failed candidate anyway - but as a lister. <br /><br />Ruthie polled 1845 votes but got in on the list. It is expected she will get in by the same method this time. Is the endorsement of 1800 people really good enough for a party leader?<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-67627403474061313122016-02-04T00:20:01.038+00:002016-02-04T00:20:01.038+00:00I thought lists of more than 7 were to cater for t...I thought lists of more than 7 were to cater for those at the top winning constituencies instead, moving everybody else up the rankings. If all the SNP constituency candidates in north east in 2011 had also been on the list, there'd have been no-one left to fill the list seat.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-82142120809668377812016-02-04T00:13:43.093+00:002016-02-04T00:13:43.093+00:00Kirsten Robb was the number 1 candidate in Central...Kirsten Robb was the number 1 candidate in Central in 2011. She's ok.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-32823688660324150632016-02-03T21:49:11.333+00:002016-02-03T21:49:11.333+00:00If a list member dies or resigns from Parliament, ...If a list member dies or resigns from Parliament, their place is filled by the next list member. We were told at a meeting, that it was theoretically possible for the subs bench to be fully depleted by the end of a parliament. <br /><br />Perhaps if only one member of your party is elected then your chance of sitting in Holyrood are remote in position 9, but if you were a red tory candidate, and you only get list seats, then 9th position may see you get in when say all your chums get jailed or go off to England to be with their pals.<br /><br />When Margo left us, her seat fell vacant as she was on the list on her own. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-37888345003356762542016-02-03T21:38:28.253+00:002016-02-03T21:38:28.253+00:00Best of luck in May, topher.
Best of luck in May, topher.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-55699244981941448332016-02-03T21:05:04.304+00:002016-02-03T21:05:04.304+00:00Martin Ford is no longer on the list. I'm not...Martin Ford is no longer on the list. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but there was some sort of almighty dust-up.James Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01516007141763230886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-76412359455205161412016-02-03T20:54:22.429+00:002016-02-03T20:54:22.429+00:00Don't forget the delightful, Martin Ford. Is ...Don't forget the delightful, Martin Ford. Is he not a bit of a unionist? No 2 on the NE list. There is a danger he might get elected.Derick fae Yellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-82491668735344205672016-02-03T20:30:00.421+00:002016-02-03T20:30:00.421+00:00"Not sure why parties have so many when there...<i>"Not sure why parties have so many when there are only going to be 7 list MSP's elected from all the parties put together."</i><br /><br />My assumption is that it's because a sudden vacancy may occur when lots of the candidates have work commitments they can't get out of, or don't want to get out of. It's an exhaustive list of back-up plans.James Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01516007141763230886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-64835331384240087612016-02-03T20:20:25.730+00:002016-02-03T20:20:25.730+00:00To be honest, 9th on the Green list is a fairly sa...To be honest, 9th on the Green list is a fairly safe way to not get elected and I'm speaking as such a person. (on the Highland list). Not sure why parties have so many when there are only going to be 7 list MSP's elected from all the parties put together. Mind you if you read of a multiple accident involving the 8 higher placed candidates, be suspicious!<br />I hope that John Finnie and Isla O'Reilly get elected from the top of our list, both great people, but I'm not holding my breath for more.........topherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15534401130755572381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-54065561877179328882016-02-03T18:23:29.187+00:002016-02-03T18:23:29.187+00:00Oh, actually, I tell a lie, John Wilson is standin...Oh, actually, I tell a lie, John Wilson is standing in my region. I must have overlooked him.James Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01516007141763230886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-7897597492987022332016-02-03T18:15:26.437+00:002016-02-03T18:15:26.437+00:00I've just been having a look through the list ...I've just been having a look through the list of Green candidates, and it suddenly occurred to me that my own region is the only one where I haven't actually heard of any of them! Kirsten Robb's name maybe sounds vaguely familiar, but I can't place her.<br /><br />The Greens are a strange mixture of lots and lots of people who I rate very highly, and a small minority of people who I would actively vote against if I was a floating voter. Andy Wightman is obviously a class act, Patrick Harvie was an inspiration during the referendum campaign, I met Sarah Beattie-Smith last year and she was very likeable and ecumenical, from what I remember Mark Ruskell was a good MSP. I know a lot of people have issues with Ross Greer, but my own biggest issue would be James Mackenzie in Lothian. He's only ninth on the list, but I'm not sure what he'd be doing there unless they've got him in mind as a back-up plan in case an MSP resigns midway during the parliament. James Mackenzie MSP? The mind boggles. If he became a government minister, half of us would probably be interned.James Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01516007141763230886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-54218005039354186042016-02-03T17:58:02.295+00:002016-02-03T17:58:02.295+00:00The 1955 election was held on 26th May, and the mi...The 1955 election was held on 26th May, and the minimum voting age was 21, so to have voted in both elections you'd have to had to be at least 80 years and 11 months old on polling day last year.James Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11480872609776312502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-80416722605268060782016-02-03T17:50:55.439+00:002016-02-03T17:50:55.439+00:00It would be interesting to know how Scots who vote...It would be interesting to know how Scots who voted Tory in 2015 voted Tory in 1955.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-68888372320999816962016-02-03T17:17:48.549+00:002016-02-03T17:17:48.549+00:00As a died-in-the-wool capitalist myself, I find it...As a died-in-the-wool capitalist myself, I find it very strange how many self-proclaimed free marketeers are all gung-ho about internal markets and the free movement of goods and services, but somehow their capitalist zeal dries up when it comes to the free movement of people.<br /><br />David Cameron wrote a letter to Brussels where point 3 was 'increased competition and free movement of goods and services', while point 1 was 'decreased competition and restricted movement of human beings'.<br /><br />Perish the thought, but it's almost as if they're being a touch inconsistent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com